KITCHENER — Every mom who gives her best each day is worthy of recognition, according to Hayley Wickenheiser.

Mother to 12-year-old son Noah, Wickenheiser ought to know.

She is one of the most decorated Canadian athletes in history and has somehow struck a balance in her life between family, her full-time pre-med studies at the University of Calgary, along with a captain’s commitment to two hockey teams.

“One of the jobs of a mom is to take care of everybody else but not themselves sometimes. There are a lot of moms out there that go above and beyond,” said Wickenheiser, 34, in town Monday to present a cheque to Wal-Mart Canada’s Mom of the Year.

From the Order of Canada, to three Olympic gold medals, to being named one of Canadian university’s top student-athletes, Wickenheiser also carries with her 3.94 grade-point average (out of four).

If there is an award Wickenheiser qualifies for, the 19-year national team veteran has probably already won it.

Surely her proudest achievement is being a mom.

Wickenheiser, also known for her many charitable causes, insisted in her case, the juggling act is all about time management.

She also enjoys the support of her parents, Tom and Marilyn, with additional help from her brother, Ross, and sister, Jane, who all pitch in to care for Noah.

“Noah is a pretty independent guy,” she said. “He sometimes travels with me, too. He’s used to it. We’ve lived in Sweden and Finland (when Wickenheiser played pro hockey in men’s leagues),” said the University of Calgary’s most famous varsity hockey player.

”He’s a world traveler himself. He understands this is my job.”

On Monday, Wickenheiser offered her congratulations to Mom of the Year winner, Katie Schulz.

The retail giant presented Schulz, of Dundas, Ont., with a cheque for $100,000 to donate to her favourite charity, Cystic Fibrosis Canada.

As a member of the award’s selection committee, Wickenheiser helped sift through some of the 17,000 entries from across Canada.

Wickenheiser was on her way home to Calgary following Canada’s 3-0 loss to the Americans at the Four Nations Cup final in Finland over the weekend.

She said she plans to play for Canada at the Sochi Olympics in 2014 before she attends medical school.